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(No Model.) 2 Sheets8heet 1.

T. A. COLEMAN.

, LUMBER TRIMMER. No.550,594. Patented-De0.3,1895.

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llNrrED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS A. COLEMAN, OF TEXARKANA, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ANDREWKENDIG AND JOHN W. KENDIG, OF SAME PLACE.

LUMBER-TRIMMER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 550,594, dated December3, 1895.

Application filed September 4,1894. Serial No. 522,030. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, THOMAS A. COLEMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city of Texarkana, county of Bowie, State of Texas, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Lumber- Trimmers, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings,for1ning a part of thisspecification, wherein- Figure 1 is a top plan view. Fig. 2 is a sideelevational view showing the frame in section and the operation of oneof the saws on a piece of lumber to be trimmed. Fig. 3 is a detailedview of one of the frames. Fig. 4 is a side view thereof, showing thelocking device for the wheel, partly in section. Fig. 5 is a detailedview of a modified form of locking device for the lifting-frame.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in lumber trimmers,of that class which consists, generally stated, in arranging above asuitable carriage or number of carriages for conveying the lumber aseries of swinging frames, which carry belted saws and alsosupporting-wheels, which wheels, if not tripped, will ride over thelumber, carrying the saws up with them out of an operative position, butwhich wheels, if tripped,will ride over the lumber, but permit thesuspended saws to remain in operative position to trim the lumber atdifferent points in its length, as may be desired.

In the drawings, A indicates a suitable frame, in the ends of which aremounted shafts B, carrying sprocket-wheels O, which wheels cause thetravel transversely of spurred conveyer-belts D. Power is imparted tothe shafts B in any suitable manner, so as to cause them to rotate inthe same direction.

Mounted in a suitable frame above the conveyer belts D is alongitudinally-disposed shaft E, upon which are mounted driving-pulleysF in line with the pulleys on the sawshaft hereinafter referred to.

G indicates a longitudinally-(lisposed shaft mounted in the frame inadvance of the shaft E, which shaft G forms a pivotal support for theswinging frame carrying the saws and lifting-wheels hereinafterdescribed.

I indicates the bearing-eyes for the swinging frame, which arepreferably recessed in their inner faces toreceive said frames, and areformed with slots 2', through which pass bolts into the frame for thepurpose of adjustment.

J indicates the frame, which is preferably of the shape shown in Fig. 3,which frame has projecting from its upper and lower faces lugs j, whichreceive set-bolts j, impinging against the outer end of thebearing-blocks I, said set-bolts being retained in position by j am-nutsarranged on each side of the lugs j. The outer ends of the set-b oltsmaybe squared to receive a suitable key by which the same may beoperated. By turning the set-bolts the frame may be moved toward or fromthe shaft or eyes to vary the tension of the belt hereinafter referredto.

Mounted in the outer ends of the frames are saw-spindles having saws Lmounted on one end thereof, and a powentransmitting pulley mounted aboutthe middle of the spindle between the frame-rails. This spindle isbelted to the driving-pulley by a bolt M, and when the saw is in itslowermost position said belt is taut by reason of the pivotal point ofthe frame being located in advance of the shaft E. When said frame israised, however, and

the saw is not in operative position belt M is slack, thereby savingpower which would otherwise be required to operate idle saws.

Pivoted to the frame J is a lifting-frame N, in the outer end of whichis journaled a liftingwheel 0, whose diameter is greater than that ofthe saw L. This lifting-frame is provided at its upper outer edge with alateral projection 0, which is formed with a latch-seat for co-operatingwith a latch P, operating in a suitable extension of the frame J, saidlatch being controlled by a bell-crank lever Q, one member of which hasa slot-and-pin connection with a latch-bolt, and the other member beingpreferably weighted or provided with a spring to return the latch-boltinto a normal operative position after the lifting-frame has beentripped. A chain, cord, or string is c011- nected to the outer end ofthe weighted member of the bell-crank lever, and after passing oversuitable pulleys are grouped together within easy reach of the operator,so that the operator by pulling one of said chains can throw the saw inany one of the frames into operative position.

A bail R is attached to the outer end of the swinging frame, so as tostraddle the belt M, which bail is connected by a link or rod to a beamlocated at the top of the machine. The function of said link or rod isto suspend the frame andits carried saw in an operative positionrelative to the travel of the stock on the frame A; but when said stockreaches the lifting-wheels said lifting-wheels will lift the frame andsaw vertically, raising the rod or link through its supporting means.Should any of the chains or cords running to the different frames bepulled, however, the stock coming in contact with the lifting-wheel soreleased will cause said wheel to rise, but permit the saw to remain inits lowest position, causing the lumber to be trimmed by the saw up onthe frame so selected in pulling the cord or chain, while all the otherframes provided with the lifting-wheels will ride up over the stock andcarry-the saws out of operative position.

In Fig. l I have shown five frames, which I have numbered 1, 2, 3, 4,and 5, respectively, numbers 2, 3, and 4 of which are prowith a crossshaft, of eyes pivotally secured vided with lifting-wheels, whilenumbers 1 and 5 have not present this means for carrying the saws up outof contact with the lumber.

Of course it will be understood that any number of frames can be mountedin the machine, making its scope of any length, and it is preferablethat the first and last frames be permitted to remain in a loweredposition, so as to trim the lumber to a certain length withoutnecessitating the operator to pull the chains or cords for such longlengths. In the instance of short-length lumber the cords operating theintermediate frames could be operated so as to get the best length oflumber with very little waste.

The advantage of the machine as above described is that the parts aresubstantially.

duplicates of each other, and space is all that is requiredto make amachine which will trim lumber of any length.

It may often be found necessary to tighten or loosen certaindriving-belts, and to effect such each frame is independentlyadjustable, as above described, the adjustment being quickly effected.To permit of these adjustments of the frames and to maintain a constantrelation between the carrying-frames and saw-frames, so that the lockingmeans will have the same efiect without additional adjustments, thelifting-frames are carried directly by the saw-frames.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a modified form of lock for the lifting-frame,which consists in a lever Q, pivoted to a projection on the outer end ofthe frame J, which lever is formed with a foot g, which co-operates witha lateral proj ection 0 on the lifting-frame. Q is a weight on the leverQ, which weight comes in contact with the outer end of the frame .I tohold the foot (1 in position to permit the projection O to ride past thesame in its downward movement.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. In a lumber trimmer, the combination with a suitable table, of asupporting frame on a plane above the table, a cross shaft,

swinging saw frames, longitudinally adjustable connections between thesaw frames and shaft, means for driving the saws comprising belts,vertically swinging lifting frames pivotally secured to and carriedbythe saw frames, wheels on the lifting frames, and means for connectingthe free ends of the saw and lifting frames comprising latch mechanism,substantially as described.

2. In a lumber trimmer, the combination thereon, saw frames carried bythe eyes,means for longitudinally adjusting the saw frames on the eyes,saws in the saw frames, means I for driving the saws comprising belts,lifting frames pivotally supported on the saw frames, wheels on thelifting frames, latch mechanism operating automatically to unite thefree ends of the frames, and a suspending bail connected with the outerends of the saw frames, sub- I stantially as described.

3. In a lumber trimmer, the combination with the cross shaft, of eyesloosely mounted 1 thereon having elongated slots therein, saw framescarried by the eye bolts passing through the slots into the frames,means for adjusting the frames in the eyes and retaining the same inadjusted positions, saws mounted in the frames, belts for driving thesaws, lifting frames pivotallysupported and carried by the saw frames,wheels on the lifting frames, projections on the lifting framesextending over the saw frames, and latches on the saw frames engagingthe projections, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature, in presence of twowitnesses, this 22d day of August, 1894.

THOMAS A. COLEMAN.

"Witnesses JOHN W. KENDIG, W. H. H. MARTELS.

